Spunky Little Firefly
by piper maru duchovny
Summary: Serenity is in need of a new pilot and who better to fill the role than another Washburne? Post-BDM.


**This was just a random idea that's been in my head for the last month or so. It's logical that they would need a new pilot for Serenity and well I spent a long time thinking on who could fill that role. I sincerely hope you like it and if you do, please review! Also, this will probably be a Zoe/Mal story because I ship them a ridiculous amount but I'm not signing onto it for sure. **

**Disclaimer: Whedon's baby, I'm just babysitting. **

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He had waited three months since he left Mr. Universe's moon and it still seemed like it hadn't been long enough. Unfortunately he could not afford to wait any longer; he had been turning down jobs and they were running low on fuel, food, and parts to keep them in the sky. It was crucial that River be with them on runs and to do that they needed someone who could pilot Serenity.

So, that night when the rest of the crew had gone off to sleep and River had returned to the bridge for a night of staring at the sky, Malcolm Reynolds had found his second sitting on the couch in the alcove off the kitchen. Zoe had taken to staying awake for long hours and sleeping wherever she landed - wherever wasn't the bunk she had long shared with her husband. He approached her quietly, "Zoe?"

"We need a pilot," She spoke softly; her voice remaining even and only her eyes giving way to the pain she held inside, "Wash would understand. We need River with us on runs."

"We do," He agreed with a nod as he took a seat on the table in front of her and leaned in close but not enough to touch, "I have to ask… did Wash ever mention any other pilots? Someone who would be worthy of flyin' Serenity?"

"He did," Zoe stood, "I'll send her a wave."

They downed Serenity at the Eavesdown docks on Persephone and Mal handed out assignments. Jayne and Kaylee were to get fuel and equipment, Simon and Inara were off to town for food stuffs and medical supplies, which left River, Mal, and Zoe to meet their prospective pilot. The meeting was set up at the local Browncoats watering hole. Persephone was practically bubbling over with people as they wove their way through the crowds. River had took hold of the cuff of Zoe's coat sleeve as she mumbled nonsensical babble that served to calm the first mate. Malcolm watched them from the corner of his eyes and he gave a small smile; since the attack River had become stronger and clearer headed while Zoe had turned inward. The two were good for one another.

The bar itself was a glorified shed and fairly empty. A few folks were shooting pool and one long haired ginger was sitting at the bar sipping a pint. She turned and greeted them with a hauntingly familiar pair of blue eyes as she slid off the stool, "Aunt Zoe."

"Moira," Zoe gave the young woman an uncharacteristically warm hug, "how are you?"

"Family's much grievin' Uncle Hoban," Moira Washburne spoke softly as she slid a hand down Zoe's arm to squeeze the ends of her fingers sympathetically, "Mama and the rest were all kinds of worrisome over you."

Zoe nodded sadly and squeezed the girl's hand before dropping it.

Mal stepped up, "Uncle Hoban? You're Wash's niece?"

"Moira Washburne," She offered a small smile and extended her hand, "free to call me Bug."

"Bug?" Mal raised an eyebrow incredulously.

"Uncle Hoban called me his Lightnin' Bug a'fore he went off to flight school and it caught on with the rest of the family," She explained, "got older and more people started callin' me that and shortened it to just Bug. Nearly sounds more familiar than Moira to my ears."

"A'right then," Mal gave her a reproachful eye but followed her to a table in the corner and motioned the bartender for a round, "I'm Captain Reynolds and this here's River."

"Pleased to meet ya," Moira smiled as she slid into the booth, "Uncle spoke nothing but the highest of all ya."

The captain nodded with the corner of his mouth uplifted slightly, "Ya ever fly in a Firefly?"

"No sir," The young girl looked him in the eye as she picked at her thumbnail, "never did have the opportunity but I've flown a'plenty. So long as it ain't got no Capisen 38 in it, I'm sure I can keep her in the sky."

"She's being modest, sir," Zoe rest a proud hand on her niece's shoulder, "Graduated top of her class in flight school and even did a short stint of flyin' for Monty."

"That right?"

"Yes, sir." The young Washburne smiled, "Uncle taught me how to fly when I was younger than that 'ne," she nodded at River, "Took me out in Grandpa's shuttle. It was a standard short, couldn't break atmo or nothing but it gave me the flyin' bug and well, whatever Uncle wanted to do I always wanted to try. And, well, I haven't seen much of Zoe 'cept for when she and Uncle Hoban got hitched but it'd sure be nice to be with family and it'd be a down right honor to fly where Uncle flew."

Mal looked over at River for a reading, "Heart's as heavy as atmo but the aim is true."

"We'll take you to see Serenity," He explained, "take a look at her, we'll take a test run in our spare shuttle… you anywhere near as good as Zoe says you are and we'll talk business."

The others weren't back from their running yet when they reached Serenity. River went to wander as captain and first mate showed their potential pilot around. Her hand trailed over the walls as they made their way to the bridge and she paused in the doorway. Her breath hitched and she closed her eyes for a split second before making her way inside. Walking around the confined space she looked over the buttons and things that only made sense to an experienced pilot. She paused to lift one of Wash's dinosaurs and run her hand over it's rough plastic shell before placing it back where it was, "Gorgeous ship."

Mal nodded, "Can you fly 'er?"

"Appears so," Moira nodded, "they made stuff simpler when they produced the Firefly. Shouldn't be too hard to fly her."

"Well, then," Mal gave a nod of agreement, "we'll see how ya do in a shuttle and go from there."

"Could I have a moment with your second?"

"A'course," Captain nodded and turned to Zoe, "show her to the shuttle when you all are finished."

"Yes, sir." Zoe agreed as Mal left the room, "What you wantin' to talk about, Bug?"

She smiled at the nickname and turned to pick up another dinosaur before she spoke, "I appreciate you thinking of me and all but if you don't want me to fly in Uncle's chair I'll turn Captain Reynolds down."

"He'd want you to fly Serenity," Zoe spoke softly and leaned against the door frame, "you're the one he'd trust with her."

"Yeah," Moira whispered, "but what do you want, Aunt?"

"I want you to fly her, Moira." Zoe gave her a true smile - her first in what felt like a long time, "A Washburne belongs in that seat."

"Then I guess I best go impress the hell out of the captain."

Zoe lead her down to the shuttle's entrance, squeezed her shoulder and went off to help Jayne and Kaylee unload the mule. Moira took a deep breath and tapped the top of the entrance to the shuttle twice before stepping inside. It was fairly empty spare the few boxes of supplies that lacked a storage space that sat in the middle of the empty room. She found the captain buckled into the co-pilot's seat and she took a seat of her own before flicking the appropriate switches and firing up the small shuttle, "Where to, Captain?"

"Once around the town," Malcolm ordered, "don't got to be nothing fancy. Just show me that you can keep her in the sky."

"That I can do," Moira grinned as she took off with a start that had Mal clutching the arms of his seat, "Zoe didn't tell you I had a penchant for speed, did she?"

"Must of neglected mentionin' that."

The shuttle made a short orbit of the town and was returned safely to it's port. Moira looked over at him before unbuckling her seat belt, "So?"

"You want the job," Mal grinned at her, "it's yours, Bug. You'll get seven percent off the jobs we bring in and a bunk to yourself - once we reconfigure the current arrangements."

"You got yourself a deal, Captain." And they shook hands.


End file.
